Think about it. You’re attached to your lover because you’re afraid they’ll leave. You’re attached to your job because you’re afraid of not making money. You’re attached to your identity because your ego is afraid to just BE. You’re attached to an idea because you’re afraid of being wrong or not knowing. You’re attached to everything you have because you’re afraid of what’s outside of your comfort zone. Can you see the trend?

So in many ways, attachment is “giving too many fucks.”

Now you might be saying, “Hold on! Are you telling me I shouldn’t care about anything?”

Nope. All I’m saying is to release attachments.

You can still love someone without being attached to them. In fact, true love has nothing to do with attachment. It is unconditional and freeing.

You can still do incredible work without being attached to it. I’m doing that while writing this. You can still make a positive impact on the world without being attached to the results. In fact, nonattachment increases the quality of everything you do.

The art of not giving a fuck is all about transcending fear and attachment. When you clear all of the bullshit you’ve accumulated throughout life, what are you left with? Peace, love, happiness and bliss.

And that’s what we’re all chasing – some combination of those feelings – right?

Isn’t it amazing how quickly we adapt? What was once completely alien soon becomes common sense.

Change is the nature of our universe, and by extension, the nature of us.

To resist change, to try to control, goes against this. Those who are most fearful, most trapped in ego, try to control situations and people.

This is where things get disharmonious. When the ego clings to control, things go awry. And since change is inevitable, this causes change to manifest in perverted ways – in equal proportion to the amount of control being exhibited.

Surrender to the flow of change. The ego isn’t in control (even though it wishes it was). Revolutionary ideas come from the mysterious stillness within, far beyond the grip of the conscious mind. When they arise, these waves are best ridden, as they can’t be controlled.

Within this universal flow, change must be implemented consciously to maintain harmony. Resistance and unconsciousness creates disharmonious change. Yet even disharmonious change holds potent lessons. So there are no mistakes.

In our society, the vast majority of people live exclusively in their head (yes, even workout junkies). And a small percentage falls into the trap of what I call spiritual escapism, living in the clouds. Both are delusional.

The key – to unlocking our potential and living a fulfilling life – is THE BODY.

The body is not something to be ignored. It’s not something to be neglected. It’s not something to be demonized. And it’s definitely not something to be viewed as an impediment to spiritual growth. In fact, the exact opposite is the case.

The body is the portal to spiritual growth.

“Transformation is through the body, not away from it.” – Eckhart Tolle (The Power of Now)

The most spiritual, transformational thing you can do is to be FULLY PRESENT. I’ll repeat that again. The most spiritual, transformational thing you can do is to be fully present.

Everyone is looking to escape the negative aspects of reality, including you and I. If you’re denying this, that’s part of your escapist self-deceit. And people try to escape in different ways; drug/alcohol abuse, television, work, social media, addiction to spiritual practices, externalizing power to authority figures instead of looking within…etc. Basically, most people will do anything to distract themselves from… well… themselves, and their raw emotions.

But no forms of escapism work… They just mask a problem and let it fester in the shadows. That’s when things get really ugly, and we see it reflected on the macro level in the world.

Here’s the hard truth: The only way out is through.

The best way to solve any problem, or realize that the problem doesn’t really exist, is to face it head on. Yes, this reality can be extremely challenging. But it only gets worse if you try to ignore or avoid it.

However, everything gets transmuted once you dive fully into reality, into the present moment. And that is done through the body.

With myself and many others, I’ve noticed that physical health is what tends to first open people up to who they really are. It’s the “first domino” that catalyzes spiritual growth, self-awareness, empowerment and all that “good” stuff.

After realizing this, I started looking into why this is the case. And here’s what I found…

5 Reasons Why Your Body Is The Portal To Spiritual Growth

1. Health

With a healthy body, everything else falls into place.

You can think more clearly and creatively. You also become a better conduit for ideas and intuition. Everything regarding cognitive function and perception becomes heightened when you’re healthy.

Another byproduct of health is being vibrant and full of energy. When someone is healthy, you can see that sparkle of life in their eyes. When someone is really unhealthy, they have that vacant look. This is a huge indicator, because you can literally see that some people are embodying their divinity.

Health is also the practice of self-love and self-care, which obviously has spiritual implications. It’s taking care of your temple and allowing the presence of the divine (or whatever you want to call it) to come through.

So what are the basics of health? It’s really simple when you boil it down. Eat real (natural) food and move your body. If you do that, you’re at least 80% there.

2. Getting Out of Your Head

Being in your body gets you out of your head. And that’s a big deal in today’s society.

Most people are trapped in their head and slaves to their mind/ego. The mind makes a beautiful servant but a terrible master. And the mind is a risk calculator, meaning if you’re trapped in it, you’re going to be calculating risks 24/7.

Our minds are hardwired to detect threats, because that’s what has kept us alive for millions of years. But we no longer have to deal with saber tooth tigers, so 99.9% of fears are purely psychological/abstract and not based in real danger at all.

But, in general, we let this risk calculator run the show. This is why the vast majority of people live in a state of perpetual fear.

Most people spend their whole lives thinking about the past or future and COMPLETELY MISSING THE PRESENT MOMENT. Actually acknowledging, feeling and experiencing your body changes this.

3. Presence

Being more in your body helps you to be present.

You get out of your head, and in the present moment. This point is so important that entire books are written on it (The Power of Now by Eckhart Tolle, Be Here Now by Ram Dass, You Are Here by Thich Nhat Hanh…etc.)

When performing a difficult exercise for example, it’s hard (and even dangerous) to be thinking about the past or future. This is why exercising can help you cultivate a practice of presence.

On the other side of the spectrum, many types of meditation involve body awareness and body scanning. This fosters a state of presence.

There’s also mindful eating. The practice of mindful eating means simply being completely present while eating.

First of all, you’re aware of what you put into your body. Most people mindlessly shove food down their gullet, then wonder why their health/performance is sub-par. And another aspect of mindful eating is being fully present and undistracted when eating. This means fully experiencing the taste, smell, texture of food and noticing how it feels when being digested. Practicing this not only allows you to enjoy food more, but hones the ability to feel what is beneficial or detrimental to your body.

And when you’r body is healthy, the clarity and clearheadedness that naturally arise make it far easier to be present (as well as the absence of pain/discomfort).

4. Being In Tune

I hinted at this while discussing mindful eating. Being healthy helps you get more in tune with your body.

And it’s not only with eating. It helps you get in tune with intuition, feelings and emotions. Again, good health allows for all kinds of clarity and the healthy flow of energy. Plus, there are the benefits of getting out of your head and being present.

All of this results in being very in tune with the subtleties of life. There’s nothing woo-woo about it. When you’re healthy, your awareness is heightened.

5. Holistic Expansion

True expansion, true authenticity and true health, is holistic.

You cannot ignore an aspect of self and think it won’t have side effects. We see the neglect of the body in many religions, which obviously doesn’t work out well (where guilt, shame and all kinds of perversions run rampant).

On the other hand, we see the neglect of the emotional and spiritual aspects of self in modern western society, and it doesn’t take a genius to see all major “systems” need to change.

The more grounded you are, the more connected you are to everything. Being fully embodied is a way of embracing wholeness.

I mean, there’s a reason why “spirit” (or whatever your term is for God/Source) is choosing to express itself physically, right? If not, we wouldn’t be here. Even if it were some big cosmic joke, we’re here now, in human form. So start with being present and fully conscious in this experience.

It also doesn’t stop at the body. The body is an aspect of self, not your entire self. It’s a portal to your true self, not the totality of your true self. Again, embrace all aspects of self.

Becoming Spirit Embodied

So how do we get more into our body?

It’s very simple; engaging in daily practices that benefit the body. Here are some ideas:

Getting out in nature

Hiking

Going to the beach (where you get all four elements at once – sun, air, earth, water)

Constantly chasing success is a trap. Your self-worth is not attached to anything you do. You’re worthy no matter what.

This is why the last, and most important, measure of success is BEING FULLY IN THE PRESENT MOMENT. If you ever find yourself fully in the moment – not lost in thoughts about the past or future – that’s success!

Yeah, it’s fun to do cool things and experience all that life has to offer. But if you lack the ability to JUST BE, you’re always going to be chasing the illusory pot of gold at the end of the rainbow.

Remember, success can be found in the simple things.

Now you have some specific ideas to help you reevaluate how you measure success.

We all deserve to be able to create the best versions of ourselves and make the most out of life.

It’s so easy to get swept up in the frenzy of novelty and want to see EVERYTHING.

But what if I told you… That you can enjoy yourself MORE by doing LESS.

I know, I know. That sounds so counter-intuitive. We’re programmed to believe that more means better. But this isn’t the case. In fact, the opposite is true.

First, let’s discuss the practical philosophy of Essentialism.

Essentialism And Travel

Essentialism is focusing on what is essential for you and letting go of the unnecessary.

Everyone already applies this to the stuff they bring while traveling. You obviously can’t take everything you have, so you have to decide what is truly essential for your trip.

And anyone who has traveled long-term has felt the freedom that comes from realizing that you don’t need so much stuff. It’s all about the experiences.

But guess what? Essentialism applies to experiences as well…

Essentialism And Experiences

When traveling, you probably won’t have a lot of stuff, but you might be trying to horde experiences.

I’ve done this so many times; trying to pack everything into a day, seeing everything, waking up early, staying out late.

The FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out) is real!

The irony of this is that a vacation becomes a different version of your normal life; a busy, jam-packed schedule, filled with deadlines and stress.

We’ve all seen the extremes of it. Families moving through tourist sites like anxious robots because they have to stay on their schedule.

Where’s the enjoyment? Where’s the peace? Where’s the leisure? What happened to being in the moment?

Can you really enjoy the moment when you’re just rushing from one thing to the next?

What if, instead of trying to do everything, you just picked a select few things?

That’s exactly what I started doing.

Focus On Your Big Win

It’s about the quality of experiences, not necessarily the quantity.

I would honestly rather go to one awesome place, FULLY experience it and not care about time, then have to rush through the day to see as much as possible.

So here are the magic questions…

What’s the one thing you really want to see today?

What’s the one thing you really want to see on your trip?

That is your anchor point. That’s your sun that the rest of your trip revolves around.

And as long as you do/see that, everything else is bonus. You can flow into whatever other things catch your interest. It allows you be present, not stuck to a rigid schedule. And not stressing trying to fit everything into every day.

There’s a huge difference between rushing through things and pausing to truly appreciate something. It’s really profound. Yet most people never experience it because the clock has become their new boss.

Yes, This Works

I’ve traveled more in the last 6 years than most people have in a lifetime.

I don’t say that to brag. It has allowed me to develop some practical philosophies around travel. And this essentialist mentality makes travel so enjoyable.

When I first started traveling, I would try to do everything; all of the tourist stuff and everyone’s recommendations. Each day became a rushed schedule of activities, where I wouldn’t fully enjoy any of it. I would just take a picture and move on, like most people do.

I quickly discovered that this wasn’t working. So I started picking one or two things that I deemed essential in each place. I would see/do those, without the pressure of having to be somewhere next. In doing this, I started fully experiencing everything.

If you’ve never done this, it’s hard to imagine. But there’s a world of difference between just snapping a selfie and pausing to deeply EXPERIENCE a place.

So here’s the core message of this article: Focus on your big win. And beyond that, allow yourself to flow wherever the moment takes you.

The constantly busy, hyper-consumerist paradigm clearly hasn’t increased our quality of life. As a society, we’re realizing that the lifestyle of more stuff, bigger houses, full schedules and staying busy is killing ourselves and the planet.

This is why so many people are gravitating towards concepts like minimalism, simplicity and Essentialism.

The 10 Best Websites On Minimalism

All of those websites are great resources on minimalism, as well as life in general. And the Minimalism Subreddit is a community where people exchange ideas regarding minimalism. If you’re interested in minimalism, see which of these resonates most with you.

Avoid This Trap

Like with any philosophy, people can get dogmatic.

Minimalism is no exception. So here’s a piece of advice: Avoid the trap of doing less for the sake of doing less.

Mindfully, consciously simplify your life. And if something is essential to you, keep it.

That’s why I like using the word Essentialism. It automatically makes you evaluate what is essential to you.

The vast majority of things are trivial. So find what is important to you and focus on that.

My new book, Essentialism And the Art of Not Giving a Fuck, cuts straight through the noise and chaos of life.

It will help you find and focus on what is essential to you. That simple shift in mentality opens the door to the feelings you’ve been chasing your whole life: happiness, peace, love, fulfillment and joy.

“Beauty is the purgation of superfluities.” – Michelangelo

This quote by Michelangelo epitomizes the idea of Essentialism. What the Renaissance man meant by that poetic phrase was this: beauty is the removal of the unnecessary.

All aspects of beauty, all aspects of a beautiful life, simply emerge when we let go of the useless excess. When fear is let go of, we’re left with happiness. When we transcend limiting beliefs, success greets us. When we remove our blocks, creative inspiration flows.

Michelangelo also said the following regarding his artwork…“I saw the angel in the marble and carved until I set him free.” This further shows how, in his genius, he used reductionism to create great art.

This “Michelangelo mindstate” applies to everything in life. Even if not literally with certain things, it applies metaphorically.

So let’s extrapolate a bit. How do you think Michelangelo would have approached modern life? If I were to guess, it would be very similar to the concept of Essentialism.

More Quotes About Essentialism

“It’s not the daily increase but daily decrease. Hack away at the unessential.” – Bruce Lee

“Our life is frittered away by detail… simplify, simplify.” – Henry David Thoreau

“Simplicity involves unburdening your life, and living more lightly with fewer distractions that interfere with a high quality life, as defined uniquely by each individual.” – Linda Breen Pierce

“Beware the barrenness of a busy life.” – Socrates

“Slow down and remember this: Most things make no difference. Being busy is a form of laziness—lazy thinking and indiscriminate action.” – Tim Ferriss

“Perfection is achieved, not when there is nothing more to add, but when there is nothing left to take away.” – Antoine de Saint-Exupery

“Reduce the complexity of life by eliminating the needless wants of life, and the labors of life reduce themselves.” – Edwin Way Teale

“Besides the noble art of getting things done, there is the noble art of leaving things undone. The wisdom of life consists in the elimination of non-essentials.” – Lin Yutang

Can you see the trend? Some of the wisest people to ever walk the Earth emphasized the importance of simplicity and essentialism. Whenever you see this kind of trend, know that it’s a concept well worth investigating.

Essentialism And the Art of Not Giving a Fuck

Yup, you read that right. That’s the title of my latest book.

And it was just released!

If you enjoyed this article, you would love the book even more. Essentialism And the Art of Not Giving a Fuck is a deep dive into the philosophy and practice of Essentialism. It also gives you a manual of how to directly apply the principles to uncover your inner peace, happiness and fulfillment.

They waste their time and energy on things they can’t control, while neglecting the things they DO have control of.

If you want to step off of the sidelines and actually engage in life, you need to understand the concept of circle of concern vs circle of control.

Your circle of concern consists of everything within your awareness.

Anything that you’re aware of is in your circle of concern. This can be news events, your friend posting pictures of their travels on social media, what the president of the United States said yesterday, what happened in the last episode of your favorite tv show, that person who yelled at you in traffic…etc. All of that stuff.

Your circle of control is what you can actually control. You have control over the thoughts you choose, the actions you choose and the reactions you choose. That’s pretty much it.

Sadly, most people focus on their circle of concern and neglect their circle of control. This is insanity! And because so many people do this, it makes things worse on the collective level (because the vast majority live in fear and believe that their daily actions are meaningless).

It’s all about where your focus is.

If you focus on your circle of concern, you become passive. And because most things on the news or tv are not empowering, it’s most likely going to be passive and negative. This is the state most people are in. If you don’t focus on your circle of control, you’re going to be a victim. It’s that simple.

Are you going to be a passive victim or are you going to be responsible and empowered? That’s the question you have to ask yourself. You might not be able to change what the President said at a press conference, but you can change your own thoughts, actions and reactions.

This is where a sense of purpose comes into play. What do you want to do? What impact do you want to have? What ripple do you want to send across the Universe?

You can optimize your health.

You can write a book that inspires people.

You can smile at a stranger on the street.

You can hold the door open for someone.

You can give a genuine compliment.

You can support local businesses.

You can choose inner peace.

You can start a business that creates positive change in the world.

You can create art that brings people joy.

All of these are possible for anyone, but they require you to focus on your circle of control.